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Gulzar Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 5, 2026 • 3 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth18 August 1934

Age91 Years

BirthplaceDina, Punjab, British India (Now in Pakistan)

ProfessionPoet, Lyricist and Film Director

NationalityIndian

Marital statusSeparated

SpouseRakhee

FamilyFather - Makhan Singh Kalra; Mother - Sujan Kaur; Daughter - Meghna Gulzar (Bosky)

Gulzar Biography

Sampooran Singh Kalra, professionally known as Gulzar, is an Indian poet, lyricist and film director whose writing in Urdu, Punjabi and various Hindi idiom

Early life and background
Sampooran Singh Kalra was born on 18 August 1934 in Dina, Punjab, then part of British India (now in Pakistan). He was raised in a Sikh family and, after the Partition, relocated to Delhi before eventually settling in Mumbai. From an early age he was drawn to reading and poetry; a particular encounter with Rabindranath Tagore’s The Gardener left a lasting impression and helped shape his decision to pursue a life of letters.

Career
Adopting the pen name Gulzar Deenvi, later shortened to simply Gulzar, he began his cinematic career working with established directors such as Bimal Roy and Hrishikesh Mukherjee. His first break as a film lyricist came with the 1963 film Bandini, when S. D. Burman asked him to write the song “Mora Gora Ang Layle.” He rose to wider notice with songs like “Humne Dekhi Hai Un Aankhon Ki Mehekti Khushboo” from Khamoshi (1969) and contributed memorably to films across decades.

Gulzar expanded his creative work beyond songwriting to screenwriting, dialogue and direction. He made his directorial debut with Mere Apne (1971) and later directed films such as Angoor (1982), an adaptation inspired by Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. He also directed television projects, including the acclaimed Mirza Ghalib (1988) starring Naseeruddin Shah and other series based on literary material.

His lyricism draws on Urdu and Punjabi, and he frequently employs several dialects of Hindi — including Khariboli, Braj Bhasha, Marwari and Haryanvi. Many of his songs have become part of the modern Indian canon and were sung by leading vocalists such as Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle. He collaborated with a wide range of music directors over the years, from S. D. Burman and R. D. Burman to A. R. Rahman and Vishal Bhardwaj, and his work has embraced influences from classical, folk and Sufi traditions.

Gulzar’s body of work also spans popular and literary forms. He has written ghazals for noted artists, composed lyrics and dialogues for television and film, and published poetry collections that include Raat Pashminey Ki, Chand Pukhraaj Ka and Pandrah Paanch Pachattar. He is known for a characteristic Triveni stanza form in his poetry and for adapting classical sources, for example drawing on Amir Khusrow for a song in Mani Ratnam’s Guru (2007) and reworking Sufi material for songs such as “Chaiyya Chaiyya.”

Public profile
Across a career that has earned national and international recognition, Gulzar’s work has been honoured with many awards. Highlights include multiple National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards, the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2002 for his Urdu short stories collection Dhuan, the Padma Bhushan in 2004, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2013. He was part of the songwriting team for “Jai Ho,” which won an Academy Award and a Grammy in connection with Slumdog Millionaire. His films, songs and television work have kept him a visible figure in Indian cultural life for decades.

Personal life
Gulzar married actress Rakhee on 15 May 1973. They are listed as separated. He has a daughter, Meghna Gulzar, who is known professionally by that name. His parents were Makhan Singh Kalra and Sujan Kaur. He lives in Mumbai and has long had interests outside of writing, including lawn tennis and travel.

Latest updates
Gulzar’s influence continues through his published poetry, film and television credits, and the songs that remain part of public performance and memory. He has written for contemporary films as well as for older classics, and his name remains closely associated with several iconic songs and screen works that span more than half a century.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Gulzar, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

Mirza Ghalib

Television series directed by Gulzar starring Naseeruddin Shah

1988
Mere Apne

Film directed by Gulzar — his debut as a director

1971
Angoor

Film directed by Gulzar based on Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors

1982
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Career Highlights

  1. Debuted as a film lyricist with Bandini (1963)
  2. Directed debut film Mere Apne (1971)
  3. Directed TV series Mirza Ghalib (1988)
  4. Sahitya Akademi Award (2002) for Dhuan
  5. Padma Bhushan (2004)
  6. Academy Award and Grammy recognition for the song "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Gulzar born?

Gulzar was born on 18 August 1934.

What is Gulzar known for?

Gulzar is known for poet, Lyricist and Film Director.

What is Gulzar’s marital status?

Gulzar's marital status is listed as Separated.

Who is Gulzar married to?

Gulzar is publicly listed as married to Rakhee.